El Paso officials urge Army to spare Fort Bliss from cuts

Maj. Joe Buccino, Fort Bliss spokesman, talked of a meeting Army officials had with local public officials about military reductions and how they will affect the post at a press conference at the El Paso Chamber of Commerce Tuesday. The Army plans a reduction in force of 70,000 soldiers, or the equivalent of at least eight brigade combat teams, by the end of fiscal year 2017, Buccino said.

The Army should keep Fort Bliss at its current strength or even increase it, El Paso community and military leaders said Tuesday.

Richard Dayoub, president and CEO of the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce, said El Pasoans and others on Monday presented a united front while providing senior Army officials with considerable information about the value of Fort Bliss to the Department of Defense and the region.

Two Army officials -- Col. Charles Walters and Andrew White -- met with about 40 elected officials and community and military leaders on Monday during a two-hour listening session to discuss potential reductions in troop strength as the Army downsizes, Dayoub said.

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Diana Washington Valdez

"It was a no-frills presentation, and everyone who participated believed that we made an impression," Dayoub said. "These officials may get back to us with further questions, and we will respond promptly. They took a lot of notes at Monday's session and this indicates to us that there were things about Fort Bliss that they did not realize before their visit."

The chamber conducted a news conference Tuesday to inform the public about Monday's session, which because of Army regulations was closed to the news media and the public.

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Fort Bliss spokesman Maj. Joseph Buccino said the post, a military installation of 1.2 million acres, houses the 1st Armored Division, the 32nd Army Air & Missile Defense Command, the Combat Aviation Brigade and the 212th Fires Brigade, among others. According to a recent study commissioned by the chamber, Fort Bliss, which also employs thousands of civilians, has a $6 billion annual impact on the local economy.

Buccino said about 33,000 soldiers are assigned to the post, and hundreds of them were deployed to serve in missions around the world. Fort Bliss also includes or houses William Beaumont Army Medical Center, the Army Sergeants Major Academy, Joint Task Force-North and the El Paso Intelligence Center, or EPIC.

The Army is looking at a potential force reduction of as many as 80,000 throughout the branch of the military. El Paso community leaders said they believe soldiers from other units experiencing restructuring could be consolidated at Fort Bliss, which has ample room for growth.

Rick Glancey, chairman of the chamber's Armed Forces Division, said the senior Army visitors also took note of the fact that 22 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies coordinate efforts at EPIC, which monitors drug trafficking and other threats.

"They also noted the great participation of the El Paso community with Fort Bliss, the investment in roads, bridges, schools, and quality-of-life issues, El Paso's welcoming of the military, and our partnerships with the military and the chamber," Glancey said.

U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, attended Monday's listening session on Fort Bliss, along with representatives of U.S. Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and representatives of U.S. Reps. Pete Gallego, D-Alpine, and Steve Pearce, R-N.M.

"We recognize and understand the difficult challenges the Army is facing, but we can't make cuts to one of the premier Army posts in the nation," O'Rourke said in a statement. "El Paso and the surrounding regions stand behind Fort Bliss and remain committed to supporting its continued growth and strong partnership with the local communities."

Diana Washington Valdez may be reached at dvaldez@elpasotimes.com; 546-6140.